Car-coupling



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1. L. SHOWALTER.

GAR COUPLING. No. 388,792. Patented A u 28, 1888.

2 SheetsSheet 2 (N0 Medal.)

L. SHOWALTER.

CAR COUPLING.

Patented Aug. 28, 1888.

N HS Phowmho n ner. w: hinge, u c

UNITED STATES PATENT tries.

LEVI SHOIVALTER, OF BEETOVVN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO REUBEN B.SIIOXVALTER, OF LANCASTER, WISCONSIN.

UPLlNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 388,792, dated August28, 1888.

Application filed May 18, 1888. Serial No. 274,274.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEVI SHOWALTER, a citizen of the United States,residing in the town of Beetown, county of Grant, and State of\Visconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in AutomaticOar-Couplings, of Evhich the following is a full and exact descrip- Myinvention relates to that class of carcouplings in which the ordinarylink and pin are used; and it consists of devices for holding the linkin position for coupling and for holding the pin in apartially-withdrawn position and automatically releasing it andpermitting it to fall into place when the link enters the draw-head.

The object of my invention is to secure a certainty of action withoutthe presence of the operator, thereby wholly removing the danger ofaccident. a

In the accompanying drawings, which are made a part of thisspecification, Figure 1 shows a vertical section through the center ofdraw-head A, provided with my device, the pin being held in position forcoupling. Fig. 2 is a similar View with the pin in its socket and thelink adjusted for coupling. Fig. 3 represents an end view of thedrawhead with the link removed and the pin adjusted for ]coupling. Fig.4 shows a top view ot'the drawaea I11 the top of the draw-head A, withinasuitable recess, A, back of the coupling-pin socket, a tumbling latch,B, having two arms, I) and b, set at right angles, is pivoted at If, soas to permit the arm I) to extend down across the mouth of thedraw-head, as shown in Fig. l, in which case the arm b would lie in theplane of the upper wall of the draw-head, or to permit the arm I) to hein the plane of the upper wall of the draw-head, as shown in Fig. 2, inwhich case the arm 1) extends in an upward direction.

In the angle of the latch B and extending laterally is an oblong pocket,f, having abrupt sides, which receives the end of the thrust-rod D. Theopposite end of the rod D is held loosely within the eyelet cl, fixedtransversely within the recess A in the same plane as the pivotal pinIf, and upon the said rod is a spiral spring, (1, which reacts upon theeyelet cl and (No model.)

upon a suitable shoulder upon the rod,D, so that it tends to force thesaid rod firmly against the latch B. \Vhen the latch B is in theposition shown in Fig. 1, it is held there by the force of the spring(1, the end of the rod D being thrown to that end of the pocket whichlies in the arm I). In like manner, when the latch B is in the positionshown in Fig. 2, the rod D, being thrown to the other end of the pocketf, holds it there. Thcinner surface of the arm b may be groovedlaterally to accommodate the rod D when the latch B is thrown down. Itwill be found advisable to have a small ridge or striker, f, extendacross the inner face of the arm b to insure the shifting of the rod Dwhen the latch B is thrown up. The rearward end of the recess A is soshaped as to form a shoulder to stop the arms I) and b as the latch B ischanged in position.

Upon the outer face of the arm I), and. near the pivotal point If, isthe toe C, of sufficient length to project within the socket A therecess A opening into said socket forits accommodation, so as to preventthe ingress of the 7 coupling-pin E.

For convenience in adj nsting the parts, the slots 0 may be made on eachside of the recess A, extending forward into the thick flange of thedraw-head and being open at their rearward ends. These slots receive thepivotal pin bhand it is seated at their inner ends,where it is securelyheld by the action of the spring d.

Within the draw-head A. and upon its lower side is placed the flatspring G, its inner end being securely fastened and the outer endprojecting a short distance over the recess H in the lower part of thedraw-head, immediately back of the socket A This recess H is suitablyshaped to receive the end of the link M, 0 for the purpose of setting oradjusting it for coupling, as shown in Fig. 2, the link M being caughtunder the end of the spring G, the lug g at the end and on the underside of the said spring preventing its escape by the jarring of 5 thecar. There must be sufficient space between the end of the spring G andthe socket A to permit the escape of the link M after coupling. Anopening should be made from the bottom of the recess H through the wallof the draw-head to allow the escape of dirt that may accumulate.

In use the coupling-link will be adjusted under the spring G in thedraw-head of one of two cars to be coupled, as shown in Fig. 2. Thecoupling-pin will be adjusted in the other draw-head, as shown in Figs.1 and 3, by throwing down the latch b and placing the pin within theupper end of its socket and resting it upon the toe 0. As the cars cometogether, the link strikes the arm I) and throws the latch B up, thusreleasing the coupling-pin, which immediately falls into its socket,passing through the link. As soon as the cars are separated in starting,the link is released from the spring G.

What I claim as new is 1. The combination of the draw-head A,the latch13, having the toe G, the thrust-rod D, and the spring d, substantiallyas and. for the purposes described.

LEVI SHO WALTER.

Witnesses:

S. H. TAYLOR, JOHN G. CLARK.

